Ukrainian president accepts defence minister's resignation

Ukraine's Defence Minister Valery Heletey speaks with journalists during his visit to the 141st Zhytomyr Armor Mechanical Repair Plant in Zhytomyr September 23, 2014. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Valery Heletey, the presidential website said on Sunday. The webite said the president felt it was time to change the defence leadership of the country. Heletey, appointed by Poroshenko in July, has been criticised in recent weeks for a rout of Ukrainian forces at Ilovaisk, east of the big industrial city of Donetsk, a battle in which more than 100 Ukrainian soldiers were trapped by Russian-backed separatists and killed. (Reporting by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)